How to survive being owned by a Cat by Annarita Guarnieri

Are you looking to own a cat ? Then this is the book you need to read before doing so.
It contains everything you will ever need to know from deciding to get a kitten following through to adult life and the problems you could encounter, setting it apart from any other instruction book as the author has incorporated her own experiences, throughout the entire book, telling stories about the cats she has owned and giving examples as she goes along. This makes for a much more personal touch and for me, inspired confidence in her knowledge , showing that this wasn’t just a run of the mill instruction manual but written by a genuine cat lover with an obvious passion for the feline world , passing on to others, her vast experience.
To conclude: A comprehensive guide on cat ownership written in an interesting and easy to follow manner by an author who really knows her stuff and is very passionate with it .A must for a cat owner!

Upgrade by Stephen Hise

Let me begin with the ingredients: Take a decent amount of science,  add to this quite a lot of sex, then introduce mystery and intrigue, mix it all up, give it a twist right at the end and you have a superb , end product-Upgrade!

The author’s   way with words and jaunty style of writing makes this book a very lively and entertaining read. He tells the tale of an unattractive but wealthy man seeking to change his life by neuroscience .The procedure is successful and we follow the protagonist, Brent Schoenfeld through his new style of life, now focusing   on females ( which I hasten to add have very different and colourful personalities of their own )and the exploits in their effort to woo him.

As the story progressed, the author builds up the feeling that something just isn’t quite right , the suspense was growing .I actually found myself trying to second guess the ending with all sorts of scenarios and although I got somewhere close , he still managed to outmanoeuvre me  with a totally unexpected and dramatic conclusion. Superb twist!

 This story is original, sexy, extremely well presented with excellent grammar and editing. Also, in addition to the clever mix of genres, the author  also incorporates a serious message with this book ; be careful what you wish for , the grass isn’t always greener on the other side!
I enjoyed Upgrade  from the first page to the last and I will now look forward to reading anything else Stephen Hise  has to offer. He is talented to say the least!

The Perfect Plan by Ty Hutchinson

This is a short, brutal but entertaining story.It is action packed from the first page to the twist at the end .The perfect plan......or not so perfect for some ..read it and find out , you won’t be disappointed, I wasn’t. I enjoyed it  but other   readers should be aware that the story contains bad language throughout  but then again you would hardly expect bank robbers to be polite now , would you?? Even though this was a thriller,in parts of the story I could detect underlying humour from the author and I will now look forward to reading more of his work.

To conclude; well written and a fast paced , energising read.Well worth the hour you will spend reading it, if you like a hardcore thriller. 

Kiwi in Cat City by Vickie Johnstone

I have to admit I started this book with a little indifference. My preferred genre is horror ,thriller and murder mystery and it is many, many years since I have read a children’s book. Oh boy , was I in for a surprise! This book is a pure delight –the author has such a great imagination and her ability to captivate an audience is second to none.

The tale is of two children who decide to follow their pet cat, Kiwi, one night and get the shock of the lives when they are led into a great adventure within ‘Cat City’.It is here when Kiwi and the children, who, by the way are now kittens , embark on an investigation to find missing catizens.I just loved the way the author changed words to fit into the cat world , I really don’t know how she managed to come up with so many but they were brilliant and I found myself chuckling away throughout. I soon became engrossed in the story and completely forgot I was reading a children’s book –it was so good .

To conclude; this was a well written and edited story, full of fun, colour and adventure, which I found very refreshing. The ending was a little inconclusive but this is the first in the series so I am guessing this is purposely done in order to encourage the reader to read the next one, which I would certainly do. I would love to see this book published in paperback and lining children’s bookshelves, it would also be a great choice for parents to read out loud as bedtime stories as they would enjoy it just as much.

With an imagination like this and the skill of the storytelling Vickie Johnstone could go far and I , for one , really hopes she does. 

While the Savage Sleeps by Andrew Kaufman

If you are a fan of Stephen king this book is a must.I enjoyed the story from the first page to the last , the author had my imagination running wild throughout and with each twist and turn he outwitted me to the end .

 The story was set in the town of Faith (such a brilliant name)with Cameron Dawson, the Deputy Sheriff, at the forefront of the investigations. He is an extremely likeable but unhappy character , due to a sad event in his past and I found myself empathising with him throughout.

 The plots takes the reader through a trail of bloodthirsty , chilling events within the town but at the same time, running parallel in Albuquerque , Doctor Kyle Bancroft is experiencing paranormal visitations which eventually leads her to Faith and Cameron Dawson, where their lives become intertwined for the investigation.

 The ending of the novel was superb! It was scary, gripping and unique and at the same time very sad. It was very well done and left me with no questions unanswered.

 To conclude, this is a very well written and researched novel, very cleverly put together and keeps it’s audience captivated with every turn of the page .I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good horror story with many extra’s. In my opinion Mr Kaufman has set up the characters in such a way that they could now be used in many future novels .....I really hope I am right.

Stephen King, watch out, you have competition, this is a excellent piece of work!

The Remains by Vincent Zandri

I dont know why but from the title I had an idea that this book was going to borderline horror ...Shaun Hutson style ...I was wrong .I read the prologue and immediately I started to think I could work this book out.. again I was wrong .Chapter one gets you straight into the main character Rebecca and I was hooked ! It is a tense psychological thriller ,for me a real page turner, I couldn't put it down.In addition to this Vincent also managed to introduce relationships and feelings to the story bringing on another dimension to the book .I'm not going to give too much away and spoil the plot for everyone so i will just say that the ending was superb .....there was a mixture of horror ,suspense and sadness ...yes I cried .All in all, this is a brilliant book ,I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a thriller packed with emotion .I will, without a doubt, be reading more of Vincent Zandri.

The Fathers Child by Mark Adair

What a fantastic read! This book is listed under the Thriller genre but is much more than that! The story is intriguing, you just never know what is going to be around the next corner, it is full of twists and turns, with a bit of romance thrown in as a bonus. I thoroughly enjoyed how the plot developed and halfway through I was just baffled at how it would end. It didn't disappoint ....the conclusion was exciting, unexpected and very different! I would highly recommend this book, it was well written with a very clever plot.

Lonesome Night by Christopher L Beck

This is a short story not for the faint hearted!It starts off with Michael full of emotion over Becky leaving him ..he is distraught and has to get out of the house where everything reminded him of her ..The story then takes on a twist ..I won't spoil it by saying why but Michael went on a rather unusual 'journey'.The content here is graphic and explicit but relevant to the story For me, it felt like I was reading the beginning of a Richard Laymon novel .Anyone who enjoys his books will enjoy this .I would now like to see the Author expand and take over where Richard laymon ,sadly, left off ...he certainly has the potential to do so, and I for one will look forward to reading more

Till Death by Christopher Beck

In this short story the reader is taken from Erotica, to a true 80’s style horror ending. Jump out of your skin time!Reminded me of a scene from one of Stephen Kings films. All adult content, very graphic but well written and easy to read. I enjoyed the tale very much and would highly recommend it. This is the forth piece of work I have read by this author, and for me he just keeps on getting and better.

Playing the Game by Simon Gould

I have just finished this book and it was excellent! I would highly recommend it to anyone that likes a fast paced thriller. Anyone that is thinking of buying or downloading this book do not hesitate, you won't be disappointed, it's a must for anyone that enjoys crime fiction.Personally,I think Simon Gould is up there with Harlan Coben and James Patterson,and as this is his first novel I am sure we are going to be seeing alot more of him .I am eagerly awaiting the sequel now..

Cadence of the Undead By Christopher L Beck

This is a superb novella centering on a Zombie Apocalypse, with some excellent horror scenes, which are definitely not for the nervous! However, in addition to the horror, the author introduces us to two main couples in the story, who, in turn, have to learn to... deal with their relationships and survival during this terrifying time. I could actually feel the desperation and sadness that one couple endured, it was heartbreaking .The other couple brought another dimension into the story; fear, panic and hysteria and with this, a very unexpected and unusual ending. I have now read all of this authors’ work, and have honestly enjoyed them all, but with this book Christopher Beck has surpassed himself! It is well written, well thought out and extremely entertaining from beginning to end .I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to read a horror story packed with emotion.

Mementos of Mai by Helmy Parlente Kusuma

This was a totally different read for me, although i have to say I found it thoroughly refreshing..It is written as an excerpt, I am assuming, of the author’s life and how he coped with emotion and the dawning realisation of how life doesn’t always work out the way you want it, therefore having to turn in another direction and succeed. I found the whole story very sweet, natural and sometimes sad. I loved the descriptions the author used, making me feel that I could actually taste and smell the things he was describing.I thought this was extremely well done considering English is not the author’s first language. To conclude, the book isn’t a page turner nor is it fast paced. It is simply a relaxing, sensitive read.

Remember.....in your Dreams? by Alejandro Canton

This is an excellent and extremely well written book, which I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. This story reads almost as an autobiography, a grandfather sharing poignant memories with his newly born grandson by way of astral travel and crystal ball gazing, visiting past events that were significant to the Grandfather’s life. The bonding between the two generations during these times is touching and unique. Throughout the book, I was always under the impression that the author is trying to relay to the reader the importance of memories and keeping alive the ‘spirit’ of loved ones that have passed on, therefore always to “remember”. This was for me, a moral. To conclude, in my opinion this book could be listed as a modern ‘Classic’. The author has a way of making the reader really feel the emotions and I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking to read a story with depth and meaning, and yet, at the same time light-hearted and entertaining. Alejandro Canton has the ability to do both!

Poltergeisten by Ian Woodhead

I thoroughly enjoyed this short, but not so sweet, horror story, which i read before going to sleep.Anyone with a nervous disposition,i wouldn't advise to do the same! I liked the particular style of writing,taking us from normal everyday life into a bizarre,stomach churning situation. I will certainly look forward to reading more from this Author,especially now a full length novel.

Circle City Blues by Susan Wells Bennett

This story is based on a very simple theme , but oh my ....what a good read!!From page one I was hooked ...couldn’t put this book down! The characters are believable and the main man ‘Mac’ is a real lovable trucker .I’m not totally sure if the author means her readers to fall for him but I did! I kept turning the pages to find out what he had decided to do next and really wanted him to make the right choices .I sympathised and felt for him ... when he was happy ,I was.....when he was down I was too and this, for me is the sign of a well written book. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys an easy read and being totally engrossed to the end .Was there anything that i found disappointing? Yes ....it ended !! Loved it ..brilliant book!

The Lonely Mile by Allan Leverone

This is a real gutsy, gritty thriller. It is fast paced, easy to read and extremely well written. ... The baddie/abductor, Martin Krall is a complete mad man with absolutely no morals which makes the story terrifying and kept me on the edge throughout the book. I very much liked the main characters , they were believable and determined without going over the top and the author writes in such a way that I could feel the pain and anguish that the father, Bill Ferguson was going through alongside the fear of his daughter, throughout the ordeal. The twist at the end was a complete surprise, I didn’t see that coming at all, which made the story even more enjoyable , if that is possible. All in all, this is a superb book and I would highly recommend it to anyone that likes a really good thriller packed with action. It is a must ! Thank you for the great read Mr Leverone and I will most certainly be looking to read more from you!

Take No More by Seb Kirby

This is an outstanding debut novel by Seb Kirby. He captivates the reader from the first page, and remains gripping and compelling throughout.I could not put this book down. Listed under Murder,Mystery and Thriller but so much more than that.The geography of London and Florence was handled very well to add richness to the novel, alongside the Authors obvious love and knowledge of the art world .In addition to this,the reader is taken into the Italian underworld weaving a web of corruption,deceit,secrets and murder around the whole plot . If you enjoy a really good Thriller,in the style of Sidney Sheldon with extras, and are prepared to be kept on the edge of your seat throughout, this book is a definite must! I am eagerly awaiting the next novel.

Sweat, Glamour and Light Sins by Alex Canton Dutari

This is a very different novella to anything I have ever read.I thought is was excellently written and very well put together. Set within a gym in California this story is an insight of life seen through the eyes of a new member, Abuelo ‘the grandfather’, who, along with the exuberant Rhonda, is the main character and narrator. ... The novella is light hearted, entertaining and often hilarious with a touch of sexual content which is fitting to the storyline. However , as the plot and characters unfold there is also grit, determination , grief and even nutrition lessons to be found, along with fashion designing, dance, a beauty pageant and much more! This is a short story packed with goodies! Having read other works from this author I have come to expect hidden messages within his books and even though this novella was more light hearted than his previous books , they were there for the reader to find! My one criticism is that I sincerely hope this will not be the last we see of these characters as I personally felt we have unfinished business with them. A follow up is required please!

Her Peaceful Sleep by Alex Canton

This short story takes the reader on a very powerful and emotional journey, learning the depth and feelings of losing someone special to them .The author has the skill of actually making you feel these emotions and I have to confess that it reduced me to tears . ...Slight concentration is required halfway through, as the story switches to the family pet bird as first person , observing the pain and hurt it’s master is enduring. This was interesting as it provided a different dimension to the story. This was a great and touching read . I would highly recommend it but have a tissue handy!

Land Of Nod, The Artifact by Gary Hoover

I started this book with slight trepidation, it was my first sci-fi and I really didn’t know what to expect. However, this was short-lived; a couple of pages in and I was completely hooked. I felt as if I had stepped into a portal of my own, and then taken on an incredible journey. What a ride!.....I was introduced to a teenage super hero, strange creatures, advanced technology, a war between Continents (with a difference) and a whole lot of fast paced adventure! This is an amazing book that could be read by people of all ages, covering genres of YA, Sci-Fi and Adventure. It is well written, very easy to follow and cleverly leaves the reader awaiting the sequel, which I hope isn’t too far away. Thank you for this, Mr Hoover, you have written a brilliant book and have got another fan.